On her first solo world tour in exactly 30 years, Alison Moyet caught Chicago faithful up to speed since Yazoo/Yaz reunited in 2008. Although she made sure to play several selections from the celebrated synthpop duo, the 21-track set was also stocked heartily with tunes off 2017’s Other (the second consecutive collection returning to those electronic roots), along with a tune or two from pretty much everything in between.

Even at 56, Moyet’s voice may as well have leapt straight off the MTV screen, though her 100-minute set went far beyond nostalgia. If anything, those deeply soulful pipes and brooding beats from all eras fit right in step with what’s coming out of the alternative/indie/electro pop arena today, plus her status as a left of center legend has only increased.

In addition to exposing dark and mysterious sides, the singer/songwriter was also personable, explaining how she chucked every material possession and moved out of a massive house to downsize in the diverse town of Brighton. Moyet also recalled spending some formative years right here in the Windy City where she saw her first-ever concert (it was Crosby, Stills & Nash with Harry Chapin at the charming Ravinia), though given the engaging nature of such anecdotes and all the accompanying musical expressions, hopefully it won’t take quite so long to return.

Midway through the set Saturday night at Metro, Afghan Whigs frontman Greg Dulli momentarily halted the band’s momentum after the song “Algiers” to address one particular fan:

“Wasted and flipping me off is not going to work,” he said to a woman near the stage. As the crowd murmured, he continued, “This is not a negotiation – walk her to the back of the room.” She obliged and Dulli finished with, “I haven’t done that in 10 years. I’m so upset I’m not going to sing this next song.”

When the band began again with “Demon In Profile,” just one of many songs played from latest album “In Spades,” Har Mar Superstar filled-in, perhaps with new meaning: “All over your body, this electricity / It was all that I wanted, now it’s killing me.” Guitar and piano exorcised the tension, with Har Mar crooning “I’m so far inside you now, I’m your silhouette.”

The band followed that song with a cover of The Beatles’ “Dear Prudence,” after which Dulli confessed, “I feel better.” The crowd did, too.

About an hour earlier, the band’s second night in a row of shows at Metro began with Dulli taking the stage solo to sing “Birdland”–the only accompaniment was a backing track of cello and other strings–before five other band mates (three total guitarists, including Dulli) joined him for “Arabian Heights,” also the first two songs on In Spades.

This lineup (with bassist John Curley the only other original member) allowed the Whigs to forego nuance and subtlety in song choice. Instead, the set list favored wall-of-sound guitar selections from the band’s deep catalogue. Some violin and cello were incorporated sparingly, but the multi-guitar line-up was the showcase.

The rocking “Honky’s Ladder” (from 1996’s Black Love album) solidified early Dulli’s swaggering persona: “If you tell me ‘don’t get mixed up with the devil,’ that’s exactly what I’m gonna do.” The band reached further into its past to play “Turn On The Water” from 1992’s breakthrough album Congregation. That was followed later with the rollicking “Fountain and Fairfax” (from 1993’s groundbreaking Gentlemen album) with Dulli desperately beseeching: “Angel, I’m sober / I got off that stuff, just like you asked me to.”

Dulli continued his trademark come-ons with “Somethin’ Hot” the opening track on album 1965 (released in 1998), with the lyrics “I want to get you high / I want to get next to you.” The Whigs, around for decades now, know something of temptation and regret, of angels and demons.

“Can Rova” served as a double tribute: to recently deceased soul/R&B artist Charles Bradley, as well as to Dave Rosser, a Whigs guitarist who died of cancer earlier this year. Dulli pointed out that the last time the band played at Metro, in 2014, that Rosser played guitar “right there,” pointing to stage right.

The band had the crowd clapping in unison for “Oriole” with opening lyrics, “Light the candle, lock the door too / Draw the circle, I’ll fall into you.” Also from the latest album, the band played “Copernicus,” “Toy Automatic” and finished the set with “Into The Floor,” melding lyrics from Don Henley’s “Boys of Summer” into the ending.

The encore featured “Parked Outside” from 2014’s Do To The Beast album – during which Dulli appropriately sung, “If they’ve seen it all, show them something new” – and the bombastic “Summer’s Kiss” from the “Black Love” album.

The Afghan Whigs like to get comfortable at Metro – they return to the venue for a two-night residency (Sept. 22 and 23) after last doing so in 2014 in support of the album Do To The Beast, the first new vinyl and digital from the band since 1998.

Now, though, the focus is on In Spades, released earlier this year, another album that mines the depths of desire, betrayal, heartbreak and regret that fans expect from frontman Greg Dulli. The latest effort still rocks in a dirty, soulful way, and the band incorporates string instruments (cello and violin) on multiple tracks, including “Oriole” and “The Spell.”

What’s to be seen is how the band incorporates this instrumentation live and which tracks they will play from their extensive catalogue. What’s guaranteed, though, is a cathartic display of slow-burn/rock-out tunes with themes of devil-and-angel perched on Dulli’s shoulder.

– Jason Scales

]]>http://illinoisentertainer.com/2017/09/stage-buzz-the-afghan-whigs-at-metro/feed/0Photo Gallery: Riot Fest 2017 – Day Onehttp://illinoisentertainer.com/2017/09/photo-gallery-riot-fest-2017-day-one/
http://illinoisentertainer.com/2017/09/photo-gallery-riot-fest-2017-day-one/#commentsTue, 19 Sep 2017 15:28:30 +0000http://illinoisentertainer.com/?p=33342Longtime Riot Fest attendees know it has always been smart to bring a rain poncho and waterproof boots to the 3-day festival. Day One at Riot Fest brought mid-July temps to Douglas Park, under a late summer sun – a welcome addition to the festivities for sure. Strong sets by Skating Polly, Like Pacific, INVSN, HDBeenDope, Tobacco Road, Liars, Sleep On It, Buzzcocks, X, New Order and Ministry made Day One that much better.And as Jaime Black pointed out in his review – Nine Inch Nails’ performance may have been RF’s MVP set.

If there was one MVP act at this year’s edition of Riot Fest – a smaller, more compact affair, it was undoubtedly Nine Inch Nails. A nihilistic and seemingly self destructive act that two decades ago, would have been hard to imagine experiencing a renaissance in 2017, Trent Reznor and crew are instead firing on all cylinders, nearly 30 years in.

Over the course of a 90 minute headlining set on the first night of Riot Fest, Nine Inch Nails moved throughout the band’s extensive catalogue. Opener “Branches / Bones,” off last winter’s Not The Actual Events EP, proved a high impact start to their set, followed by “Wish,” from 1992’s ferocious Broken EP. Material like “March of the Pigs” and “Gave up” dealt in full on thrash and muscle, while “Copy of a,” from 2013’s Hesitation Marks, proved more minimalist and driving. Similarly, “Less Than,” off this year’s Add Violence EP, came across as direct and efficient, representative of modern day NIN.

Thanks to a healthy supply of the strongest offerings from the group’s current discography, Nine Inch Nails avoided coming across as a retro act, instead feeling consistently current throughout. The Slip’s “1,000,000” came in grinding and dizzy, while “The Hand That Feeds” proved especially punishing. And set highlight “The Background World,” off Add Violence, showcased the power of NIN’s more creeping and cautious sensibilities. Even “Head Like a Hole,” which could possibly be labelled classic rock at this point, still retained its electrifying punch, nearly three decades later.

In keeping with heritage industrial acts, Ministry would close out the afternoon on Friday, delivering hard rock anthems no doubt intended for far darker settings as the sun set on the festival. Scattered over dozens of visuals including Charles Manson and Donald Trump, the elder statesmen of industrial plowed through a grinding set that of course included fan favorites like “Just One Fix” and the infectious “N.W.O.” By comparison, New Order’s set proved far dancier and upbeat. Club staples like “Bizarre Love Triangle” and “True Faith” offered a respite from the heavy and dour tones of both Ministry and Nine Inch Nails before and after New Order, respectively. And “Blue Monday” and JD’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart” brought and electricity to the evening air, a lighter offering before Reznor’s trademark angst. An incredibly rare treat for longtime fans was a retooled version of “Ultraviolence” from NO’s 1983’s landmark album, Power, Corruption and Lies.

Saturday at the festival featured a celebration of hometown heroes The Lawrence Arms, who performed their 2006 full length Oh! Calcutta! to a sizable crowd. Performances like “Great Lakes / Great Escapes” and “Beyond The Embarrassing Style” showcased the combined power of frontmen Brendan Kelly’s strained growl and Chris McCaughan’s smoother singing styler. “The Devil’s Takin’ Names” proved a strong vehicle for Kelly, while McCaughan shone on “Old Dogs Never Die” highlighted McCaughan. And the urgency of the infectious “Are You There Margaret? It’s Me, God” stood out as a set highlight, as did encore selections “The Slowest Drink at the Saddest Bar on the Snowiest Day in the Greatest City” and “Beautiful things.”

Queens Of The Stone Age’s Josh Homme (Photo: Curt Baran)

Later that night, Queens Of The Stone Age would take the stage for an occasionally uneven closing set. Though the one-two punch of powerhouse tracks “You Think I Ain’t Worth a Dollar, But I Feel Like a Millionaire” and “Feel Good Hit of the Summer” showcased Queens’ more muscular efforts, much of the set dealt more in swagger and rhythm than volume and metal. Selections like “Smooth Sailing” and “I Wanna Make It wit Chu” demonstrated the funkier sound of the group’s later, post-Nick Oliveri efforts. Elsewhere, “If I Had a Tail” and “My God Is the Sun” proved to be anthemic powerhouses, the latter serving as a fitting end of summer song. Closing as strong they opened, the group ended the night with the undeniably addictive and incredibly urgent “Go with the flow” and the droning and riff-heavy “Song For The Dead.” It was a powerful end to the set, though much of the crowd left the performance a bit confused, as Queens ended their set ten minutes early and never returned for an encore.

On Sunday afternoon, avant-garde rockers TV On The Radio brought soul and crooning to a well-attended performance. “Happy Idiot” brought an infectious danceability, while “Winter” showcased the group’s low guitar growl. “Lazerray,” meanwhile, showed the band’s more celebratory and upbeat energy. Similarly, Nine Types of Light bonus track “Trouble” displayed an atmospheric and almost tropical vibe. And fan favorite “Wolf Like Me” peaked with frontman Tunde Adebimpe belting out We’re howling forever!” like a tortured mantra into the afternoon air.

Later in the evening, Paramore would suffer from the open air layout of this year’s edition of Riot Fest. Though the band easily connected with an eager crowd, sound bleed through, first from Prophets of Rage, and later from M.I.A., would hinder the group’s projecting efforts. Due to the reduced footprint of the festival this year, many stages were closer together than in previous years, and Sunday night’s collision did Paramore no favors, especially when Hayley Williams would speak between songs. (One particularly noticeable example came when Williams addressed the crowd at the same time as Prophets’ rendition of Rage Against The Machine staple “Bulls on Parade.” An interesting mashup, to say the least.)

Thankfully, Paramore’s set delivered, in spite of stage and the occasional sound challenges. “Still Into You” is undeniably upbeat and bounding, while “Ain’t It Fun” closed the set on an infectious and melodic note. Elsewhere, “Brick By Boring Brick” brought out the group’s more aggressive and anthemic tendencies, while “Daydreaming” presented the act’s quieter side. And 10 years later, showstopper “Misery Business” still delivers, as essential as any performance during the rest of the weekend.

As a whole, this year’s Riot Fest stood as a more diverse effort than previous editions. With a bit more space between stages, it’s a winning formula

]]>http://illinoisentertainer.com/2017/09/photo-gallery-riot-fest-2017-day-two/feed/0Photo Gallery: Riot Fest 2017: Day Threehttp://illinoisentertainer.com/2017/09/photo-gallery-riot-fest-2017-day-three/
http://illinoisentertainer.com/2017/09/photo-gallery-riot-fest-2017-day-three/#respondTue, 19 Sep 2017 13:05:23 +0000http://illinoisentertainer.com/?p=33475Day Three continued the three-peat of sunny skies – with a couple nice breaks of clouds to slow down the heat. Despite late nights, sore feet and a bit of a hangover – IE’s Curt Baran managed the photo pit like a champ to capture Engine 88, Upset, Kitten Forever, Downtown Boys, That Dog, Hot Water Music, Dessa, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Minus The Water, The Orwells, Pennywise, The Menzingers, Paramore, Prophets Of Rage, Dinosaur Jr and the 20th Anniversary Reunion of Jawbreaker

Because of a technical error, some photos on Day Three will be updated by 11pm on Tuesday 9/19/2017

]]>http://illinoisentertainer.com/2017/09/photo-gallery-riot-fest-2017-day-three/feed/0Photo Gallery: ZZ Top at Riverside Theatrehttp://illinoisentertainer.com/2017/09/photo-gallery-zz-top-at-riverside-theater/
http://illinoisentertainer.com/2017/09/photo-gallery-zz-top-at-riverside-theater/#respondFri, 15 Sep 2017 03:15:19 +0000http://illinoisentertainer.com/?p=33720Ed Spinelli captured ZZ Top at the Riverside Theatre in front of a enthusiastic Milwaukee crowd Wednesday. Cream City fans spanned three generations and are among the most passionate fans in the country – these folks really know deep cuts from the little ol’ band from Texas.

Summer is waning, but festies will get their last licks in September 23 and 24 in Louisville. If bourbon, food, music, and camping is appealing to end your summer festival season, then Bourbon & Beyond should be on your radar.

]]>http://illinoisentertainer.com/2017/09/stage-buzz-bourbon-and-beyond/feed/0Photo Gallery: Alice Cooper/Deep Purple/ Edgar Winter at HCAhttp://illinoisentertainer.com/2017/09/photo-gallery-alice-cooperdeep-purple-edgar-winter-at-hca/
http://illinoisentertainer.com/2017/09/photo-gallery-alice-cooperdeep-purple-edgar-winter-at-hca/#respondThu, 14 Sep 2017 15:10:06 +0000http://illinoisentertainer.com/?p=33337It was like the World Series of Rock took a time machine from 1975 at Comiskey Park to the Hollywood Casino Amphitheater last Wednesday. Ed Spinelli captured the night in all it’s glory.
]]>http://illinoisentertainer.com/2017/09/photo-gallery-alice-cooperdeep-purple-edgar-winter-at-hca/feed/0IE Rewind: New Order comes to Riot Festhttp://illinoisentertainer.com/2017/09/feature-story-new-order/
http://illinoisentertainer.com/2017/09/feature-story-new-order/#respondThu, 14 Sep 2017 14:10:12 +0000http://illinoisentertainer.com/?p=30473

New Order 2017

When New Order keyboardist Gillian Gilbert stopped touring with the band in 1998, then quit altogether during the recording of its 2001 album Get Ready, she did it graciously, almost secretly, without any official departure announcement in the press. “And I wanted it that way,” she admits of her decision to stay home and take care of her two daughters, Matilda and Grace, who had been diagnosed with a rare spinal condition. “But don’t get me wrong – I was dying to say a few things. But I thought the best way was to keep quiet, which was hard. But I’d rather be a bit more mysterious – I just want to be known for what I’m doing, music-wise.”

In retrospect, Gilbert cedes that it was difficult to watch her husband – band drummer Stephen Morris, and her partner in side project The Other Two – pack his bags and head out on subsequent New Order tours, with Phil Cunningham on board as her replacement. “But I didn’t really have a choice,” she sighs. “In those days, just going somewhere like Paris was a massive thing, and with husbands and wives, the wife looked after the kids and it was all very traditional. Stephen and I were so young when we started going out together that that’s all we knew was the band. But as soon as we had kids, it was like, ‘There’s somebody else to think of,’ and I quite like that because it grounds you. So I couldn’t think of anything worse than taking them on tour.”

Gilbert, 56, is happy to have rejoined her old compatriots, first for world tours beginning in 2011, and more recently for its effervescent 2015 comeback album, Music Complete. Her velvety textures – which cascaded so perfectly into place on New Order’s definitive 1983 sophomore set, Power, Corruption & Lies, helping to separate the group sonically from its angular, guitar-driven precursor Joy Division that ended with the 1980 suicide of catacomb-voiced frontman Ian Curtis – have grown even more majestic, on finger-snapping thumpers “Tutti Frutti” and “People on the High Line” (both featuring La Roux’s Elly Jackson), the moody “Stray Dog” (with sinister narration from Iggy Pop), and a “Blue Monday”-anthemic “Superheated,” with vocalist Bernard Sumner trading vocals with Killers bandleader (and avowed New Order superfan) Brandon Flowers. Her helium-fluffy filigrees carry every track aloft like a Jules Verne balloon, proving just how sorely her presence has been missed in the interim. “I think I added something,” she laughs. “But I don’t the band would like to think it was a feminine touch. And I’m glad I had the time off – I got my head together, so I’m really enjoying it this time.”

How did the musician spend all that down time? Fans wouldn’t believe it, she says. But aside from working on occasional music projects with friends like The Charlatans, she got heavily into cooking, redecoration the family home, and one other unexpected diversion: Dog agility training. Seriously, she swears. In Britain, a la the movie Babe, there are serious, often televised competitions for almost any animal capable of herding or other skilled behavior, and her Yorkshire terrier – unusually husky for her breed – became quite the learned contender. Proudly, she put her pet through her paces at Britain’s annual four-day event, the Crufts Dog Show – the largest in the world. “She didn’t win, but my sister’s dog did, and that was really annoying,” she says. “But they have thousands of dogs from around the world, and they have agility and everything. I got really into dog obedience training, but now that I’ve gone back to the group, my poor dog is missing it. And she’s probably forgotten everything she’s learned by now. When I joined, I thought, ‘My dog’s not going to do anything.’ But she learned quickly, and she even knows how to do the scent cloths, where the dog sniffs out pieces of fabric. Hopefully, this summer I’ll have the time to get back to it.”

It wasn’t all canine hijinks, however. Gilbert was glad to have her family around when she was blindsided by a breast-cancer diagnosis, early in her sabbatical. “I was so depressed when Grace was ill, then I got depressed just leaving the band and having that part of your life cut off, and then seeing Stephen go away and seeing that I got replaced so quickly,” she recalls. “And being replaced wasn’t a very nice feeling when you’d been in the band for so long. So having the cancer thing was like I couldn’t see any end to the depression, even five years on.” She’s a ten-year survivor now. But the close call made her examine her life in deeper detail. “So when I got the chance to go back (to New Order), I thought, ‘Yeah, if I’m happy – if I keep on being happy in the band, I’ll do it. But I don’t want to commit to anything, long term.”

Touring proved so exhilarating – even though founding bassist Peter Hook had departed the group in a much more acrimonious, litigious fashion, replaced by Tom Chapman – that Gilbert agreed when Sumner suggested that they re-enter the studio for Music Complete. She found that things had changed over the years. Joy Division had always been something of a boy’s club, with Curtis being the first member to get married and have a child. So the men – including Morris – would stay in the studio recording until all hours, while their women stayed at home minding the kids. When Gilbert first met Curtis and company, her all-girl punk band The Inadequates was rehearsing in the same building. The group gave her a ride home one evening, on the proviso that she buy one of their early singles. She began dating Morris, and when Curtis passed, Joy Division ended, and Sumner wanted to change musical direction as New Order. “They didn’t want to emulate something that was very special, and especially Ian,” she says. “So choosing me to join the group was coming from a different place. And when I left – or when I had to leave – and my daughter was ill – I think you definitely missed something about me.”

For Music Complete, mom no longer headed home from the studio at dusk to oversee the kids – at 17 and 21, they were old enough to be left on their own. She and Morris also have their own home studio, where they could perfect potential song ideas, and then play them in collaboration with the rest of the group, something they’d never done before. Technology had greatly changed in Gilbert’s years away – nowadays she can recreate complicated tones and melodies onstage via computer, sans clunky old-school synthesizers, samplers, and sequencers. And the cameo appearances, she adds, were invitations that were immediately accepted. “So they were just songs that happened as we went along. Barney (Sumner) had that Brandon track for a long time, but it was good how everybody agreed – we didn’t want to make a big fuss, or make some big announcement that we were making a new record. We just wanted to bring it out. And we weren’t sure how the Peter Hook thing was going to play out, if people would still attend shows without him in the band. So we just took tiny steps.”

As a mother, Gilbert made many unselfish sacrifices. Did her daughters appreciate her decade-long tabling of stardom to give them a normal home life? She snorts. Exactly the opposite, she explains: “They’re very resentful that they didn’t get to go on tour with us. And the annoying thing is that they’re both into music – one went in the singing direction, and the other is in a band. I thought I’d done a really good job of steering them away, but no.”

]]>http://illinoisentertainer.com/2017/09/feature-story-new-order/feed/0Stage Buzz: Riot Fest 2017 Undercard Previewhttp://illinoisentertainer.com/2017/09/stage-buzz-riot-fest-2017-undercard-preview/
http://illinoisentertainer.com/2017/09/stage-buzz-riot-fest-2017-undercard-preview/#respondTue, 12 Sep 2017 21:43:45 +0000http://illinoisentertainer.com/?p=33232Riot Fest returns to Douglas Park for its 13th year this September. Based on that number, palm–readers may think it’ll be an unlucky year for the festival. But this year’s lineup is arguably the best ever put together by the organizers. With so many great bands and artists performing you might feel overwhelmed. That’s where IE comes in. Yes, we’re all going to scream and cry during Jawbreaker’s set but what about everything else? Here is our 2017 Riot Fest Undercard Preview:

Friday Sept 15th

Four Year Strong

Four Year Strong
Four Year Strong alienated some fans back in 2011 after the release of their fourth album, In Some Way, Shape, or Form. This album saw the band leave behind catchy anthems and breakdowns to a more – dare we say – “radio rock” sound. The band made a strong comeback with their 2015 self-titled album, seemingly tailor-made for lifelong fans of the band. Recently the band announced a new album that again may have some fans scratching their heads. The album, aptly titled, Some of You Will Like This, Some of You Won’t, will feature a mix of new and old songs, rarities, and stripped down versions of classics. Four Year Strong’s set is sure to have all the aggression and energy the band has become known for. If you’re looking to mosh and crowd surf on Friday this is the set for you.

The Hotelier
If you’re looking to get emotional at Riot Fest, look no further than neo emo-pioneers Hotelier’s set. During their performance you’ll dance, cry and scream. Expect to hear favorites “Your Deep Reset” and “Dendron” as well as newer songs from their 2016 album, Goodness.

Grayscale
Grayscale is relatively young for Riot Fest’s undercard, forming in 2011. Taking some time to develop, the band released their debut album Adornment this year. With catchy songs like “Let It Rain” and “Atlantic” Grayscale is poised to explode as they transition to music veterans. Catch their set if you love a good pop punk jam.

Saturday Sept 16th

Streetlight Manifesto
Back in April a long court battle between Streetlight Manifesto and Victory Records was settled. In a joint statement, it was announced that both parties would part ways and Victory Records would sell any master recordings back to the band. Due to concerns about payments during the dispute, the band asked fans not to purchase Streetlight Manifesto music or swag from the label. Now the self-imposed boycott has been lifted, and the band seems reinvigorated and ready to steal the show wherever they play. This is a can’t miss performance at this year’s Riot Fest. Bring your dancing shoes!

The Lawrence Arms

The Lawrence Arms
Chicago punk rock legends, and Riot Fest staff favorites, the Lawrence Arms will play their fifth album, Oh! Calcutta! from front to back in Douglas Park. For young Chicago punks, the Lawrence Arms and more specifically Oh! Calcutta! was required listening a decade ago. It’s almost like you weren’t a real punk until you knew every word to “Are You There Margaret? It’s Me, God.” This is going to be a memorable set filled with a lot of reminiscing and that’s a good thing.

The Smith Street Band
Melbourne’s own The Smith Street Band released More Scared Of You Than You Are Of Me earlier this year, solidifying and perfecting their anthemic emo/pop punk sound. Despite song titles like “It Kills Me to Have to Be Alive” and “Laughing (Or Pretending to Laugh)” the band’s sound is still uplifting – more or less. Their set is one of our must-see moments on Saturday.

Sunday Sept 17th

The Menzingers
Here’s a hot take, The Menzingers are the best punk band making music today. Earlier this year they released their fifth album After the Party. It’s filled with strong melodies, heart-wrenching lyrics and plenty of sing-along moments. The Menzingers solidified their sound with the release of On the Impossible Past in 2012, a record that’s arguably one of the best punk records ever. With every release, we expect The Menzingers to break through into the mainstream because they’re just that good. You can expect their Riot Fest performance to be intense and filled with passionate fans who sing along to every song.

Real Friends

Real Friends
Real Friends have been carrying the pop punk banner for Chicago (Yes, they’re actually from Tinley Park) ever since their breakout release, Everyone That Dragged You Here. Since then, the band has grown into a pop punk powerhouse inspiring countless other suburban teenagers to form bands. Hometown shows are always special and their Riot Fest return is in the category of “extra special.” The band is currently working on new music, so we’re hoping to hear a new song or two during their set.

Beach Slang
In an interview with Riot Fest’s website, Beach Slang frontman James Alex described his favorite memory of performing in Chicago, which included playing an acoustic after-show that Alex described as “the drunkest, sweatiest sing-along I’ve ever been in the middle of.” If there’s a better description of a great punk show, we haven’t seen it. Be prepared to sweat and sing-along (of course) to “Punks in a Disco Bar” and “Future Mixtape for the Art Kids.”

Mastodon rarely plays an encore. Instead, the band merely thanks the crowd and walks offstage. Saturday night at Metro, though, the band’s parting words carried more weight as they played an intimate benefit concert for Hope For The Day, a Chicago-based mental health education and suicide prevention organization.

At the end of the show, bassist/singer Troy Sanders said “thanks for one of the best nights of our lives” before drummer/singer Brann Dailor more directly addressed the heavy topic in the room. He spoke of his experience losing a sister to suicide and underscored the positive message of the night: there’s hope every day.

The music before the parting words was delivered with equal heart, as the band roared through a 90-minute set that pulled from nearly every album (absent were songs from The Hunter). Mandatory live songs “Crystal Skull,” “Megalodon” and “Colony of Birchmen” set the crowd into a frenzy but much of the set list reflected the special nature of the event: rather than just focusing on songs from the latest album (Emperor of Sand), the band also performed many tracks from the album Crack The Skye. They opened with “The Last Baron” and also delivered mightily on “The Czar,” songs from an album that Dailor has said is a tribute to his sister who died at age 14.

Hailing from Georgia, Sanders mentioned the threat of Hurricane Irma (bearing down on the Florida Keys during the concert and generally threatening the entire Southeast), before starting “Precious Stones.” The song’s lyrics–”Don’t waste your time / Don’t let it slip away from you / Don’t waste your time / If it’s the last thing that you do” – suddenly carried even more meaning as layers of green and pink lasers etched a grid through the smoke above the crowd’s outstretched arms.

The twin lead-guitar attack of Brent Hinds and Bill Kelliher cut through the haze on “Oblivion” and “Ancient Kingdom.” But the most poignant moment came during Dailor’s vocals on “Roots Remain,” perhaps the most emotionally vulnerable song the band has released. Dailor sang: “And when you sit and picture me / Remember sitting in the sun and dancing in the rain / The end is not the end you see / It’s just the recognition of a memory.” Rarely has a heavy metal band been as equally ferocious and empathic as Mastodon was this night.

Powermad opened the evening with an energetic hardcore set, and Brain Tentacles’ distorted saxophone and guitar attack delighted the crowd before Mastodon headlined.

And, to further solidify the theme of the night, Three Floyds brewery debuted a special libation made in collaboration with the band and Dark Matter Coffee: Crack The Skye Imperial Coffee Stout.

Before resuming a fall tour in support of their latest full-length album (Emperor of Sand) and releasing an EP of new material (Cold Dark Place) later in September, Mastodon is playing a benefit show at Metro Sept. 9. Proceeds from the show—the band’s first appearance at the venue since 2009–will go to Hope For The Day, a Chicago-based organization that strives for proactive suicide prevention by providing outreach and mental health education (for more information, visit HFTD.org).

Mastodon has never shied away from alluding to heavy, emotional topics—including the effects suicide and the loss of a loved one can have on an individual left behind—on its richly textured albums. Performing such songs and tackling the issue in the more intimate setting of Metro will certainly put more focus on this message.

Depeche Mode challenged their audience Wednesday at HCA in Tinley Park. Whether it was reminding the crowd to change our shaky government (“Where’s the Revolution,” and a surprise cover of the Beatles’ “Revolution”) and a set heavy on songs from their new album Spirit, Dave Gahan, Martin Gore and Andy Fletcher made it known this wasn’t just a hits tour.

Remixed versions of their earlier hits “World In My Eyes,” and “Enjoy The Silence” turned early set somberness into sing-a-long celebrations. As the fans hoped, DM went for the jugular – ending their encore with “Personal Jesus.”

Fred Huebner is certainly not a newcomer on the local sports radio scene. His roots go back four decades. “Like a lot of those guys on the Score, I started working at Sportsphone,” he explains. “I was there beginning in 1976. We would do reports that were exactly 59 seconds–and people called the number to get the most recent reports.”

Sportsphone was the pre-curser to sports talk radio, but Fred was there at the beginning of that trend too. Just a few months after the Score signed on as Chicago’s first sports-talk radio station, Huebner was on the staff. At first, he was just a weekend producer, but it wasn’t long before he was doing sports updates.

“My big break was when (Mike) Murphy was doing nights at the Score,” Fred recalls. “I was his update guy, but he needed someone to bounce things off of, so he really made me part of the show. When Murph moved to mornings, I went with him. During the time Murphy and I did mornings, we routinely beat Mike and Mike (ESPN) because we were doing local sports talk.”

It was during his decade-long stint as a morning sidekick/update anchor for Murphy and later Mike North that Huebner became a well-known name in Chicago. Both morning hosts had a reputation of being a little difficult, but Huebner never had an issue with either man. “Murph only had two rules. When he asked you to do something, you do it. And if he asks if you’ve done something, don’t lie to him if you haven’t done it. Once you follow those rules, you don’t have any issues with Murph. I only had one semi-run in with Mike North, and it wasn’t that big of a deal. We had a 4:30 am meeting, and I got stuck in traffic and showed up at 4:35, and he wasn’t happy. But other than that, no issues. He’s a happy-go-lucky Chicago guy who just wants to do a good show, and if you’re also dedicated to that, there are no issues.”

In one way, Huebner is a man on an island in the Chicago sports-talk world. He may be the medium’s only 60-year-old non-ethnic unabashed soccer fan. “I got introduced to soccer when I went to Morton East (in Cicero),” he told me. “Our team went downstate, and even though I wasn’t a fan at the time, I hopped on the bus and tagged along. But honestly, it wasn’t until 1990 during the World Cup that I really became a fan. I watched all the games–and they were tape delayed because that World Cup was in Italy. The American announcers really took the time to explain the game to the ignorant fans like me, and I really immersed myself in it. By the time the 1994 World Cup rolled into America, I knew the backup players on Cameroon. That’s how into it I was.”

Being one of the only soccer fans in sports radio led to some opportunities for Huebner. “I got a press pass because I was at the Score and got to know the Fire–the general manager at the time was Peter Wilt. And because I would hang around and talk to the folks there, in 2007 when they aired a few games on My 50 T (television), I was asked to broadcast a couple of games. The first one I did was a David Beckham game.” Huebner is now on staff at ESPN Radio (AM 1000) in Chicago, and his soccer interest followed him there.

“For three years I did Chicago Fire Weekly on the radio. We did it for a little while live from the Fire pitch. It was always at a time when nobody was there. Well, one time the cops showed up because (co-host and former Fire player/coach) Frank Klopas used the wrong code. This year I got a call saying that the radio show wasn’t going to air anymore. I was very bummed –but that disappointment didn’t last long. Next thing I knew they were telling me that it was going to be a television show instead (on Comcast Sports Network) and that I was going to host it. It’s been a great opportunity.”

On the other hand, the last few years have been incredibly difficult for Huebner on the home front. Our phone conversation took place on his drive to the hospital.

“My wife has recurring ovarian cancer right now, and I’ve just recently recovered from lymphoma. My spleen had to be removed. A normal spleen is only a few ounces. Mine was 3½ pounds. So I’ve been going through chemo, and had to miss a few months of work.”

Recently his soccer world and medical world collided. “When Bastian Schweinsteiger was signed, I mentioned on Twitter that I wanted to get a jersey. One of the people at the Fire saw that and told me he’d get me one. Well, I didn’t hear anything for a while, so I was starting to think they had forgotten me. But when I had Schweinsteiger on the show, at the end of the second segment, he said ‘I know you’ve been going through a lot, so I wanted to give you this’ and it was an autographed jersey. Such a nice gesture. It meant a lot to me.”

Fred Huebner can be seen on Chicago Fire Weekly on CSN and can be heard on ESPN Radio with Mike Murphy on Saturday mornings and before Chicago Bears games on Sundays.

They say you should always err on the side of caution. And Scorpions bandleader Klaus Meine wholeheartedly agrees. So he isn’t taking anything for granted as his band celebrates its 50th anniversary with its umpteenth world juggernaut, backing its recent Return to Forever album, a compendium of mostly unearthed, unfinished demos from the Blackout and Love at First Sting era upon which the band put modern finishing touches. But at 69, the gale-force banshee is knocking wood that it all goes off without a hitch. “Growing older and doing this, there are only a few bands in our generation out there doing this,” he noted in a call last month from his home outside of Hanover, Germany. “But it’s only fun when you can deliver every night, and when you still enjoy it. And going back to the United States again, playing Madison Square Garden in New York, coming back to the Bay Area, hitting the Forum in L.A. – so many places that are connected so much with our lives – you do want to enjoy it. And nobody knows how long we can do it, you know? We should have called this tour the Unknown Territory Tour, because year after year, you don’t really know how long you can pull this off. Because, all of us, at this kind of age, rocking out like crazy every night? Hopefully, we can still do it for a while.” Mention slightly older Rolling Stones, and he snorts. “But The Stones are a blues band, you know? Jagger playing the harmonica and Richards playing his guitar – they could sit on stools and do that, and still, everybody would be thrilled to hear their wonderful music.” Now, especially with former Motorhead drummer Mikkey Dee providing a thunder-hoofed backbeat, Scorpions members don’t stand there idly in concert – they really move, pinballing across the stage like the classic arena-pleasing rock outfit they are. But they’ll keep doing it, Meine swears, “As long as young kids keep coming to see us, going, ‘Oh, Scorpions – you were great tonight! When are you coming back? I just saw you for the first time!’ That’s just a great compliment, you know?”

ILLINOIS ENTERTAINER: One of the most-used songs in metal has got to be your old chestnut “Rock You Like a Hurricane,” which is still getting placements in “Brooklyn 99,” “Let’s Be Cops,” the “Angry Birds” movie, and “Nut Job 2: Nutty By Nature.”
Klaus Meine: Yeah, I know. It’s cool. We know that in America and in many other parts of the world, this song is a big rock classic. And it feels really good that it’s played in so many big movies. Even when Tom Cruise did that Rock of Ages project, I think he was even singing it, you know? But it’s wonderful for any band, after a long career, to have one or two or maybe more big songs on your list, in your catalog, with tons of use. Especially for a whole new young audience that’s watching movies or listening to their soundtrack. That’s really cool. Those are the high points in the life of a musician, and fortunately, we have a few of them.

IE: And you have kids yourself, right?
KM: Yeah. But of course my son is 31 now, and he works in Berlin for a big record company, Universal Music. He’s our guy in the music business, just working from the other point of view. Which is wonderful, because he’s also very much into music and he really loves his job. And Berlin is a great, fascinating city, and it’s also not too far away from here where we live. So life is good, after all these years. We’re a happy family, and at the same time, we’re still out there with our rock and roll family, still touring around the world. We still play this global stage, which after so many years I think is a privilege to play in front of so many generations. I think it’s wonderful when a lot of young kids are picking up on your music. To reach them with our music is great, whether it’s a song like “Rock You Like a Hurricane,” “Blackout,” or “Wind of Change” – they certainly understand the message of that song, about a more peaceful world, hopefully, in the future.

IE: You have seen so much in your lifetime. I mean, you were there when the Berlin Wall came down, something you probably never thought you’d witness back then.
KM: Absolutely. We grew up in the shadow of the Berlin Wall, and it was like, “Okay – this was the price that the Germans had to pay for WWII.” It was the way we grew up, and we were lucky we grew up in the West. So visiting East Berlin – which (Scorpions guitarist) Rudolf Schenker and myself did once, when we played a club there in the early days – was a really strange experience. And to see that wall, where so many people lost their lives, where people were shot, just trying to reach out and live in a free world, it was really very emotional for all of us here in Germany when the wall came down. We saw people dancing on top of the wall, and it was a revolution without one shot, without a gunshot being heard. It was a peaceful revolution that came from the people on the street in East Germany. And it was a wonderful moment in history, to be part of it and live through this moment in time.

IE: What winds of change do you see blowing through Germany today? And are you pro-Angela Merkel?
KM: I think she’s doing a great job. Not only for Germany, but also for being a great European politician. She’s doing a great job, but I think the world is going through some rough times, and she is one of the key politicians – the Germans feel about her that, “This is a person we can trust.” And hopefully, she’ll be carrying us through these rough waters, and hopefully, it will be good for a united Europe. I mean, with Brexit, it was quite something, and we feel like these days, when we play “Wind of Change” live – which we just did last week in Auschwitz, which was also a very emotional moment for us, to be up on stage there – we say, “Take a look at the world today. We could use another wind of change right now – what do you think?” And the people go, “Yeeeesssss!” And I think Angela Merkel has the right heart for that job.

IE: While America is stuck with this bellicose, infantile, reality show host.
KM: It feels like the world is going upside down, you know? When I wrote “Wind of Change,” coming back from Moscow, before the Berlin Wall came down, my heart was full of hope, seeing 200,000 kids in Moscow going crazy for rock music. It was like, “Wow – this is quite something! Hopefully, we can all go together into a peaceful future with this new generation.” And the Russians back then, the young kids, said, “Ah, come on Klaus – the Cold War will be over soon. There’s a whole new generation with Mikhail Gorbachev being in power. And it’s going to all be different – it will be a different world.” Their outlook on the future was so positive. But to see this turn around almost 30 years later, it’s like, “Whoa. I didn’t expect to see that in my lifetime!” I mean, we live in a global, modern world today, but we grew up with a wall. So we cannot understand how anybody – wherever it is in the world – can think about putting up walls, dividing the world again. It’s like we’ve turned the clock backwards – it’s just crazy.

IE: And meanwhile, climate change – a scientifically-proven threat to the survival of our species – is being ignored in favor of corporate greed. It’s sickening and criminal.
KM: Yeah. But I’m still optimistic. And I count on the young generation, you know, to find a way out of this global mess and make the right moves. And there’s a whole new generation of politicians, like Macron in France, that gives us a very good feeling that there is a whole new group of leaders in charge who will make the right decisions for a better, more peaceful world, joining us together instead of dividing. You want to see your children grow up in a peaceful world, and this can be our future. This is all that matters. And it’s so important, you see. We may be talking more about politics than music, but as a musician, it’s all about coming together, singing together, and being united in the world of emotions and music. And no matter if we lay in the Middle East, in America, or in Russia, it’s amazing when you see our fans – fans of music – react to the same songs. Wherever they come from, they react very much the same, because music speaks to their emotions. So it’s wonderful to be a musician and to see people truly united, at least in the world of music. When we played Auschwitz, we received a Peacemaker Award that night for “Wind of Change,” which was a wonderful moment for us. And in my Thank You speech, I said something like, “Music is the shining light on a dark cloud, and music is what brings us together tonight. And we should take this into a peaceful future without ever forgetting what happened here in the past. We should always remember what happened here, and never [let] it happen again.”

IE: You seem grateful, in general. And grateful is a good way to go through life. I mean, you actually lost your voice years ago, and potentially your career along with it before you recovered.
KM: I am grateful. I’m really very grateful. Every time I go out there, and I’m still playing the longest encore, like back in the ‘80s when I did lose my voice. But I was lucky. After undergoing surgery twice, It was serious. And even back then, I tried to make my peace with it, and said, “Okay – even until ’82, I had a great run, and it was wonderful. But if this is it? This is it. What can you do?” But I was lucky, and I was carried through by being surrounded with friends. And in the band with Rudolf, when I said to look for a new singer, he said, “No, come on Klaus – we’ll wait for you in the studio. You do whatever you have to do – your voice will be back at the end of the day.” And my voice was back. And when Blackout was released, it was a huge success. But for me, with all our platinum records, the best thing for me was, my voice was there. I could go out there and sing in front of an audience again, and my instrument – my vocal cords – were working, and have been up until today. So performing for fans around the world? This is the fuel that keeps me going. If you could see it through my eyes, what I see when I walk out onstage when we start the show, and you see all these kids going crazy, there’s so much positive energy it’s like a huge shot of it. And you just have to appreciate that, you know? Especially after all these years and growing older, but staying young in your heart. It’s really a privilege, and you’re grateful that you can still live your dream.

IE: What gives you peace on a daily basis? Do you have any rituals, hobbies?
KM: Well, coming home, you want to be with your family and friends, and have a nice dinner. I used to play tennis, but I gave it up a couple of years ago – I had to make a decision. Do I want to run around on stage, or do I want to run around on a tennis court? So what can I say? After surgery on my knee, fortunately, everything was good again, but I decided to stop tennis. It’s a wonderful sport, but at the same time, it’s the most brutal on your bones. Plus, Rudolf was on stage and passing me by, zoom, zoom, running back and forth. So I had the surgery, and everything was good again.

IE: Was it strange, digging into old Scorpions archives for Return to Forever?
KM: There was a lot there, a lot of good songs. And some needed a strong chorus, or a better chorus and better lyrics. And at the same time, everybody came up with new material, new songs, so it’s a great mix. And in the end, you couldn’t say this one is from the ‘80s, and this one we just wrote a month ago. And some of the material found its way into the live set – we kick off the show with “Going Out With a Bang,” and “Rock ‘N’ Roll Band” is in the set, and a few others. And at the same time, we go back to the ‘70s and play songs like “Steam Rock Fever,” “Catch a Train,” “Speedy’s Coming” and all those. And all those – with all the classics – really makes a great set.

IE: One “Return” anthem is “Rock My Car.” Are you into automobiles?
KM: I’m into driving fast. When you’re in Germany, you can hit the Autobahn and really drive fast. It’s one of the few countries where you can go as fast as you want. Not everywhere, of course. But when we come back from tour, we take our Mercedes cars out of the garage and really hit the road, really push the pedal to the metal. It’s a lot of fun, especially when you come back from America, where you’re all the time in the tour bus, and you drive sooo slow. When you come back to Germany after touring the US, it’s like a shock. Everybody’s driving so fast.

IE: What credo do you live by?
KM: Well, believe in yourself. And follow your dreams, follow your heart.

IE: Mine is, Everybody has an agenda, and it rarely includes you. Get used to it.
KM: That’s absolutely true. At the end of the day, you’re on your own. And you ride into the sunset on your own. But you’re very lucky when you’re surrounded by family and friends. And playing in a rock band is also very much like a family kind of thing because with the band and the crew, you spend so much time together. So being a musician and having a chance to travel all over the world – and really see the world, from Sao Paulo to Los Angeles to Tokyo – you feel really blessed. When you write a song, it’s unbelievable how much positive energy you get back. And that’s your life, at the end of the day. It’s what you’re all about.

For the first time in exactly ten years, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are back on tour together, but within moments of stepping onstage at the Allstate Arena on opening night of a double-decker engagement that returns tonight (Friday, September 1), their musical and romantic chemistry picked up exactly where it left off. Dubbed “Soul2Soul,” the show found the celebrity super couple sharing several collaborations, followed by each mega-star’s own set backed by a seven-piece band, two background singers and a glitzy production filled with video montages, lasers and risers to give the stars an occasional lift.

A southern-fried version of Aretha Franklin and George Michael’s “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” kicked off the initial duets portion with the pair volleying between McGraw’s “Felt Good On My Lips,” Hill’s “The Lucky One” and several others. But soon it was everyone’s turn to sing a long thanks to playful versions of the former’s “I Like It, I Love It” and the latter’s “The Way You Love Me.”

Considering McGraw travels all the time but Hill rarely does these days, it was especially enjoyable to hear her rock n’ roll her way through “Free” and flip towards pop come “This Kiss.” In fact, the only evidence she’d been away came when a fan requested a selfie and she literally asked “what is it you’re asking me to do?” before blowing him a smooch. Even so, the troop saluting Hill was just as exceptional as a vocalist and guitarist as ever no matter if it was the power ballad “Breathe,” the spunky “Wild One,” the gospel-leaning “Stronger” or a take-no-prisoners approach to the standard “Piece Of My Heart.”

McGraw stuck mostly with the country side of the dial, turning in tunes such as “Angry All The Time,” “One Of Those Nights” and “Real Good Man.” Flanked by the same backing cast, he also tackled a bit of “When The Green Grass Grows” entirely a capella, then unloaded “Shotgun Rider” and “Humble & Kind,” which he dedicated to Hurricane Harvey victims and urged attendees to get involved at whatever level possible. Naturally, the anthem “Live Like You Were Dying” wrapped up his segment with everyone screaming along to its memorable lines about making the absolute most of each day.

No sooner than he ceased, Hill was back at her hubby’s side for the brand new “Speak To A Girl” (complete with a lesson in manners for the fellas to treat the ladies) prior to dipping all the way back to the certifiable classic “It’s Your Love.” From there, the gown-clad co-headliner took a lap around the arena floor during “Mississippi Girl,” then within seconds, McGraw and his cowboy hat came down a different concourse to the beats of “Something Like That” and got mobbed all the more.

By comparison, the encore was an extremely understated affair with the pair springing up from below the stage on chairs across from one another to tenderly croon “I Need You” with just a sparse acoustic accompaniment. It was a poignant and beautiful way to end a lengthy but momentum-filled evening that ultimately ended with McGraw and Hill’s affectionate embraces and what appeared to be a collective hope that it wouldn’t take them this long to hit the road together again.

Between a Las Vegas residency to headlining mega-festivals such as Bonnaroo, Outside Lands and Glastonbury as of late, it’s been a minute since Lionel Richie last came through Chicago. Although it’s also been awhile since he recorded an original album (2009’s Just Go), it was the promise of “All The Hits” that finally filled up the United Center after postponing due to an injury earlier this year.

Technically speaking, the solo singer/songwriter and one-time Commodore didn’t have time to tackle absolutely everything that cruised up the charts, but for somewhere around 100 minutes, each song he selected was immediately recognizable. Besides boasting so many mighty love ballads and soulful pop standards, Richie at 68 sounds and looks practically identical to the days when he was dancing on the ceiling (well, expect for maybe those outrageous outfits that reeked of the ‘80s at their most excessive).

The hospitable performer tore right into the show’s purpose at the piano for The Commodores’ “Easy” and “My Love,” but quickly shed his seat, and from there, just kept “Running With The Night” around the triangular stage. As the smashes kept coming (“Truly,” “You Are,” “Three Times A Lady,” “Sail On,” “Hello,” “Say You, Say Me”), so did the sing-a-longs with Richie pouring nothing but romance and positivity on an audience surely sick of politics, finger-pointing and society circa 2017 in general.

While all of Richie’s selections were “oldies” by comparison, they managed to escape sounding dated thanks to five younger musicians who freshened up the arrangements and could’ve easily backed guys like Bruno Mars or Justin Timberlake. They even spiced up “Brick House,” his last band’s defining moment, with a splash of The Ohio Players’ “Fire,” transferring it from a mere guilty pleasure into a boiling funk groove.

One of the most meaningful moments came when Richie paused the party to reflect on so many of the musical greats lost in the last few years (Prince, David Bowie, George Michael, Glenn Frey, Natalie Cole) prior to “We Are The World,” which he of course co-wrote with late legend Michael Jackson. Though Richie falls somewhere in the middle of those potent peers in terms of influence, thankfully he’s still here and dead serious when it comes

Superstar artist/actress Lady Gaga is no stranger to stadiums, starting with her performance at this year’s Super Bowl where she emerged as the ultimate victor thanks to a show-stopping set anchored in patriotism and tolerance. However, when her sold out Joanne World Tour landed at Wrigley Field, she just so happened to make history again, this time for being the first woman to ever headline The Friendly Confines, and for almost two hours, demonstrated she has equally big balls (her word) as any of the guys.

Granted, the latest long player that shares the tour’s namesake hasn’t exactly lit the globe on fire compared to her earlier solo works or stunning jazz collaboration with Tony Bennett, but in concert, it came to life alongside many of this decade’s most defining pop touchstones. Although comparisons to Madonna, David Bowie and Liza Minnelli have trailed Gaga since her 2008 breakthrough, the 31-year-old born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta is truly an astounding entertainer who’s now occupies a lane entirely her own.

Bringing along a stage stacked with hydraulic platforms that frequently elevated the leader and her dozen dancers, plus six Broadway-styled acts complete with their own fashions and themes, the singer/songwriter barreled through a series of dance-floor fillers, gritty rockers and piano ballads. And no matter the vibe of a track or her aerobic level, Gaga appeared to sing, no, make that slay nearly every note, suggesting she wouldn’t have needed a single prop other than a microphone and spotlight if there weren’t stands of fans several bases away.

Even so, every section was on its feet well before the countdown clock expired and “Diamond Heart” introduced the evening with a full electric band, who continued pumping additional muscle into “A-Yo” and “Poker Face.” The mood moved towards a western/Latin motif as “John Wayne” and “Alejandro” emerged, though the club-ready beats were right around the corner when “Just Dance” and “Applause” let loose.

Yet the true test of Gaga’s vocal talents occurred when she landed behind the piano for the equality-based “Come To Mama” and a stripped down, reflective take on “The Edge Of Glory” (dedicated to both her longtime musical director and a dear friend she lost to cancer). Her emphasis on messages climbed to the next level during “Born This Way,” which has perhaps been most extensively embraced in LGBT contexts, but really applies to anyone beaming with pride over their beliefs and individuality.

Little Monsters also got to see a guitar playing Gaga’s more vulnerable side throughout the country-leaning “Joanne,” about an aunt she never met who died from lupus at a mere 19, though the glammed-up “Bad Romance” seemed to secure the most eyeballs thanks to its claw-adorned choreography. Surprisingly, the standard portion of the show closed with the brand new, bubbly smash-in-the-making “The Cure,” prior to an encore of the piano ballad “A Million Reasons” when Gaga once again let her voice be the center of attention as she blinked back tears over just how far she’s come in a relatively short amount of time.

Green Day, Wrigley Field and fall-like weather in the summer proved to be an unbeatable recipe Thursday. The Berkley, CA trio tore through a laundry list of Alt-rock radio hits during a marathon show that featured pyro, Close Encounter-worthy lights, audience members who briefly joined the band, fireworks and a drunken bunny.

Curt Baran dropped behind the barricade in his favorite ballpark to document the evening. He even made it into the pond early enough to watch openers Catfish and the Bottlemen get the punctual attendees into a lather.

The last time Beck played in Milwaukee Bill Clinton was in the White House and the Teletubbies had just made their television debut. The reason for this drought is anybody’s guess, but all was forgiven the moment Beck hit the stage.

Mr. Hansen cruised through a near-perfect set, while citizens of the Cream City killed him with kindness. Genuinely surprised by his reception, he repeated many times how he felt the love and wanted to give it back.

Laying down at the edge of the stage he felt compelled to offer back massages and hot oil baths – he really really wanted to pamper this Riverside Theater audience. If his words stand true, Milwaukee should be seeing Beck again soon and hopefully before the year of the cicada.

Kiss brought all their pageantry and glory to RiverEdge Park in Aurora, Sunday. Despite the threat of thunderstorms hovering overhead, Kiss took the stage on time and ended just minutes before buckets of rain hit the western suburbs.

Three generations of fans were treated to a classic catalog and all the pyro Kiss fans have grown to love and expect. Neither Paul Stanley nor Gene Simmons did any flying time during this show, likely due to the RiverEdge’s intimate confines. Fans still got large doses of breathing fire, spurting blood, guitar sparks, and a a Super Bowl’s worth of confetti.

Across the river, the Kiss fan pirates caught the show on their boats, and a few even came to the park side and rocked out on the water. Yaarr. This must have gone under Gene Simmons’ radar because the Coast Guard never showed up to break up the party. Next time he’ll monetize it.

– Photo and recap by Ed Spinelli

Setlist from KISS live at RiverEdge Park, Aurora, IL August 20, 2017

Deuce

Shout It Out Loud

Lick It Up

I Love It Loud

Love Gun

Firehouse

Shock Me (Guitar Solo)

Flaming Youth (Bass Solo)

God of Thunder

Say Yeah

War Machine

Psycho Circus

Black Diamond

Rock and Roll All Nite

Break – Military salute / Mayor keys

Cold Gin

Detroit Rock City

Kiss 2017 (photo by Ed Spinelli)

Kiss
RiverEdge Park Aurora
Sunday, August 20th

After 40+ years featuring one of rock’s most bombastic stage shows, Kiss’ Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley know how to work a crowd and a business plan, which brings them to Chicagoland for the second big tour of 2017 (they appeared at Open Air Festival last month). Whether it’s warranted remains to be seen, but since Poplar Creek closed almost three decades years ago, it’s relatively rare to see a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band – outdoors – in a western suburb. This time they’re appearing at RiverEdge in Aurora.

The band’s 2017 tour set list is heavy on the hits (“Detroit Rock City,” Crazy Crazy Nights,” “Rock N’ Roll All Nite”) as you’d expect. So, if you’re ready to bring the kid to a show that resembled the “World Series of Rock” show you saw in your youth at Comiskey Park, but in a friendlier family environment, this is the show for you.

Few bands can afford the big ticket production that Kiss bring to town along with a heralded musical catalog. Expect tons of pyrotechnics, lots of hits and a few old ladies in the neighborhood calling the police about that racket down the street. Ain’t that what Rock N’ Roll is all about?

]]>http://illinoisentertainer.com/2017/08/photo-gallery-cheap-trick-and-foreigner-at-hpv-at-northerly-island/feed/0Photo Gallery: Rancid/Dropkick Murphys/Bouncing Souls at HBP at Northerly Islandhttp://illinoisentertainer.com/2017/08/photo-gallery-ranciddropkick-murphysbouncing-souls-at-hbp-at-norherly-island/
http://illinoisentertainer.com/2017/08/photo-gallery-ranciddropkick-murphysbouncing-souls-at-hbp-at-norherly-island/#respondSat, 12 Aug 2017 16:26:18 +0000http://illinoisentertainer.com/?p=32547The From Boston to Berkeley Tour descended on Chicago’s lakefront and brought with it no shortage of ripped denim vests and heavily inked skin. West coast punk rock vets Rancid have teamed up with Boston rowdies Dropkick Murphys for a summer tour that recently found its way to Huntington Bank Pavilion on Northerly Island.

Mosh pits ensued and many beers were consumed during the musical east vs. west grudge match. The undercard of Bouncing Souls and an acoustic set from Stiff Little Fingers frontman Jake Burns got the hooligans amped up early. Curt Baran sat ringside to capture the pugilism.

]]>http://illinoisentertainer.com/2017/08/photo-gallery-ranciddropkick-murphysbouncing-souls-at-hbp-at-norherly-island/feed/0Recap/Gallery: Lollapalooza 2017- Day 1http://illinoisentertainer.com/2017/08/recapgallery-lollapalooza-2017-day-1/
http://illinoisentertainer.com/2017/08/recapgallery-lollapalooza-2017-day-1/#respondWed, 09 Aug 2017 04:10:04 +0000http://illinoisentertainer.com/?p=32431Another Lollapalooza, another weather-related evacuation. The first day of the 2017 version of the festival that descends on Chicago’s lakefront every August began with such promise. Forecasters kept pushing back arrival times for storms. Tens of thousands arrived on the city’s front lawn, some queuing up early to score prime viewing spots for headliners Lorde (scheduled to perform on the north end of Grant Park) and Muse (handling the south end’s main stage).

IE’s Curt Baran was on it early, capturing performances from Kweku Collins, Kevin Devine, Honne, Elohim, MAX, The O’My’s, Jain, Michael Blume, Temples, Middle Kids, Suicide Boys, Oliver Tree, Capital Cities, Arizona, Cage The Elephant, Spoon, Muse and an abridged and controversial 3 song set by former Oasis singer Liam Gallagher. But the weather couldn’t hold out. As Muse started the fourth song of their set, the sound abruptly cut out. Then came the announcement that park was under a weather-related evacuation. Rumor has it our photographer is still ringing out his socks. Please enjoy the views before (and briefly, during) the deluge.